By RTN staff writers - 4.22.2025
As Earth Day 2025 arrives, the restaurant industry is showcasing a growing commitment to environmental responsibility. From smart energy systems to AI-driven food waste reduction, restaurants are increasingly leveraging technology to reduce their environmental impact. While these initiatives mark meaningful progress, challenges remain—and experts agree that more still needs to be done to achieve the sector’s full sustainability potential.
Food waste continues to be one of the most persistent environmental challenges in the restaurant sector. In the United States alone, restaurants are responsible for an estimated 22 to 33 billion pounds of food waste each year. This not only represents a loss of valuable resources and operational dollars, but also contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions when food decomposes in landfills. In response, many restaurants are deploying innovative technologies to monitor and mitigate waste. Chipotle Mexican Grill, for example, introduced a smart waste management system that sorts, tracks, and converts food waste into energy, resulting in a 35% reduction in waste within just six months. AI-powered tools such as Winnow are also gaining traction, using cameras and machine learning to monitor what food is thrown away, when, and why. Kitchens can then use these insights to adjust purchasing and portioning practices—reducing food waste while trimming up to 8% off inventory costs.
Energy use is another area where restaurants are leaning on technology to create impact. Commercial restaurants consume five to seven times more energy per square foot than other commercial buildings. To address this, operators are adopting energy management systems that enable real-time monitoring and control of HVAC, lighting, refrigeration, and kitchen equipment. These systems help staff identify energy-intensive operations and take corrective action, often resulting in double-digit energy savings. Intelligent cooking appliances are also being rolled out—equipment that uses embedded sensors and software to adjust power consumption based on use patterns. These appliances can automatically reduce idle energy use or shut down when not in active service, driving both cost savings and emissions reductions.
Water conservation is also gaining traction. For example, Wendy’s has deployed new automated dishwashing equipment that reduces average water usage by up to 47% per cycle. Smart water systems that recycle and purify water between loads are being implemented to further decrease consumption. In addition to reducing costs, these solutions help restaurants prepare for increasing regulation and scarcity related to water access.
Technology is helping reduce paper and packaging waste as well. Many restaurants are moving toward digital kitchen display systems, replacing paper tickets and clipboards with touchscreen displays that integrate directly with the POS. These systems streamline communication between the front and back of house and significantly reduce paper usage. Other digitization efforts—like mobile ordering, online menus, and digital receipts—have become increasingly standard, particularly in the wake of COVID-19, and continue to support long-term sustainability goals.
Customer-facing sustainability efforts are gaining momentum. Apps like Too Good To Go connect consumers with restaurants offering surplus meals at a discount, helping reduce food waste while generating additional revenue. More than 200 million meals have been saved globally through the platform. Some restaurants now offer rewards programs for customers who bring reusable containers, refuse printed receipts, or opt out of cutlery with delivery orders. These efforts not only reduce material waste but also build goodwill and engagement among eco-conscious diners.
An increasingly important component of sustainable dining is the shift toward plant-based menu options. Studies have shown that plant-based meals generate significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions, require less water and land, and contribute to reduced deforestation and pollution compared to animal-based foods. As consumer interest in health, wellness, and environmental responsibility grows, many restaurants are expanding their plant-based offerings as part of their sustainability efforts. Chains like Burger King, Shake Shack, and Panera have integrated plant-based proteins such as Impossible and Beyond Meat into their menus, while fast-casual concepts like Veggie Grill and PLNT Burger are building their brands entirely around meatless menus. Technology has also played a role in optimizing plant-based recipes and sourcing, with software platforms helping chefs identify local suppliers, track nutritional content, and minimize environmental impact. By embracing more plant-forward options, restaurants are reducing their carbon footprints and meeting growing consumer demand for sustainable, ethical dining choices.
Industry organizations are playing a vital role in supporting these efforts. The National Restaurant Association (NRA), for example, has launched several initiatives aimed at helping operators embed sustainability into their business models. Their “86 Food Waste” campaign, developed with the World Wildlife Fund, provides tools and best practices to help restaurants reduce waste through improved purchasing, menu engineering, and staff engagement. The NRA has also established the Sustainability Expert Exchange, a professional community focused on environmental topics including sustainable sourcing, compostable packaging, and energy-efficient operations. Meanwhile, their guidance on sustainable packaging helps operators make environmentally responsible choices that align with evolving customer preferences and regulatory standards.
The NRA’s annual Restaurant Show has also become a platform for highlighting sustainability. The 2024 show included live demonstrations of food waste biodigesters and featured sustainability-focused panels and workshops. Over 47,000 pounds of unused food from the event were donated to local organizations—showcasing how large-scale industry events can model environmental best practices.
Other organizations, such as the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), offer formal certification programs that recognize restaurants for achieving benchmarks in energy, water, waste, and chemical use. Their detailed, science-backed standards provide a roadmap for restaurants seeking third-party validation of their sustainability efforts. Certification not only signals credibility to environmentally aware diners, but also offers actionable frameworks for operators unsure where to begin.
Despite these advances, the road to sustainability in the restaurant industry is far from complete. High up-front costs remain a major barrier for independent and small-chain operators who may lack the capital to invest in newer, more efficient equipment. In addition, there is currently no unified framework for measuring or benchmarking sustainability across the restaurant sector. This lack of standardization makes it difficult to assess progress and compare best practices across the industry.
To overcome these challenges, the industry will need more collaboration among technology vendors, policymakers, franchise groups, and restaurant associations. Education and training will be critical to ensure that operators understand not just the environmental benefits of green technologies, but also the business case: reduced utility bills, less waste, stronger guest engagement, and long-term brand value.
As Earth Day prompts both reflection and action, it’s clear that restaurants have a meaningful role to play in building a more sustainable future. The tools and technologies are already here. What’s needed now is a broader, more coordinated effort to implement them—so that greening the plate becomes not just an aspiration, but a standard practice across the foodservice industry.
